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Oakland outfielder Seth Brown is headed for the injured record with an indirect difficulty, in line with Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Brown was unavailable throughout at present’s recreation towards the Rays after feeling discomfort throughout a check-swing in final evening’s recreation, and it seems the difficulty is severe sufficient to warrant an IL-stint, although no particulars concerning Brown’s timetable for return have been revealed. Gallegos additionally reports that infielder Kevin Smith is about to affix the membership in Baltimore, presumably to switch Brown on the energetic roster.
Brown, who’s getting into his age-30 season in 2023, was the perfect hitter within the A’s lineup final season who returned this season as he posted a 25 homer season whereas slashing .230/.305/.444 in 150 video games final 12 months, good for a wRC+ of 117. Solely Sean Murphy, who the A’s traded to the Braves in a three-team deal with the Brewers over the offseason, had a greater 12 months when it comes to wRC+ amongst A’s regulars. Although he nonetheless has three seasons of workforce management left previous to free company after 2023, Brown entered the 12 months as a believable commerce candidate for the A’s come July as a result of his age and the membership being within the midst of a rebuild that noticed the likes of Murphy, AJ Puk, and Cole Irvin traded this previous offseason.
Brown hits the injured record with out having gotten going on the plate, having posted a wRC+ of simply 71 in his first eight video games this season, however with strikeout and stroll charges roughly consistent with final season and a deflated .238 BABIP, there was loads of purpose for optimism that his manufacturing would return to 2022 ranges with a bigger pattern measurement. These hopes should be placed on maintain for now, nonetheless, although it’s at the moment unclear if Brown would require solely the minimal keep on the IL or miss an extended interval.
That leaves the A’s more likely to flip to Smith, who struggled mightily in 47 video games on the large league stage with Oakland final season, slashing simply .180/.216/.302 in 151 plate appearances. That being mentioned, Smith has a profession .817 OPS within the minor leagues and, at 26 years previous, may nonetheless put it collectively on the main league stage. Acquired from the Blue Jays within the commerce that despatched Matt Chapman to Toronto, Smith supplies the A’s with an excessive amount of versatility off the bench, as he has expertise in any respect 4 infield spots along with the outfield corners.
Any time missed by Brown will probably stand to profit outfielders Brent Rooker and Connor Capel, every of whom have drawn a begin at Brown’s regular spot in left area over the previous two video games. It’s additionally doable that an infielder, like Tony Kemp, may transfer to left, permitting shortstop Nick Allen to get additional at-bats within the infield.
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